


The Reasons to Smile We Find (In the Strangest of Places)

by IHearttheHitachiinTwins



Series: Em's Dragon Witch AU [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, Or my attempt anyway, Part three probably some actaul interactoon between the royals and Virgil, Part two!!!, So much sweeter than the first one, This one's p witch focussed, This time with fluff, Who knew that would happen, anyway, but i still like it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 20:47:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16166714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IHearttheHitachiinTwins/pseuds/IHearttheHitachiinTwins
Summary: Virgil is contacted once again by the merchants who took him, but this time may prove different. Not all is as it seems, and folowing this trail just might lead to something Virgil has been seeking for millenia.





	The Reasons to Smile We Find (In the Strangest of Places)

**Author's Note:**

> So. This is a thing. There will probably be a follow up to this based around Virgil and the royal trio. What happens next and so forth. This is mainly centric on the witches, but more is coming. It's a series now so stay tuned if you want to see something other than plot. I'm not great at fluff, but I'll do my best.
> 
> Also, the mage is based loosely on someone I know in real life. He's a real character, very morally ambigus. Very fun to talk to though.
> 
> (Just before we start, something i want to bring up is that I do take creative liberties when writing. A few people brought up, privatly and publicly (though you were all very polite about it which I appreciate), that I don't follow Em's canon to the letter or it seems very left feild from what Em may have imagined. The thing is, at the end of the day, this is a fanfiction. Yes, it's a fanfic for a fanfic, but it's a fanfic none the less. It doesn't have to be perfect, and bacuse I'm worldbuilding in a lot more detail than Em has, I have to take creative liferties sometimes because there *is no known canon solution* to the question's I'm asking.)

“Wake up.”

Virgil’s fell out of bed when he woke up with someone standing over him. He screamed when he recognized him and his pulse skyrocketed. The purple trimmings were new, but the robe couldn’t be mistaken, and that voice had haunted his nightmares since his return. Virgil scrambled backwards, crying out for his brothers, trying to wake them up.

“Remy, Dee, wake up!”

His brother’s didn’t move. Dee curled tighter into his blankets, but otherwise nothing happened. It was like he never even spoke. The sound of his blood rushing started to pound in his own ears and he felt dizzy. His eyes darted to the figure again. He hadn’t moved and continued to stare at Virgil from under the hood. He snarled and bared his teeth.

“What did you do to them?” He snarled, voice taking on a deep and dangerous undertone. The man seemed unaffected, as he didn’t so much as flinch. He took a step forward and Vigil took a step back in tandem, putting himself between the stranger and his brothers. “Tell me!”

“I have done nothing to them, as I have done nothing to you. You are still asleep. Look.”

The man gestured to Virgil’s bed and he saw himself, still asleep. He walked over and tried to touch himself, but his hand dissolved to silvery mist when he tried, only reforming when he pulled it away.

“You’re a dream-walker.”

Virgil accused, looking at the man in a new light.

“Among other things.” The man conceded, folding his hands together. “But that is rather not the point. I need you to do something for me.”

Virgil’s eyes narrowed, glowing with aggression.

“Why would I do _anything_ for you?”

“Oh, I think you’ll be quite amicable to this plan.”

* * *

 

Roman poured over the maps, candlelight illuminating the parchment. He circled several areas in red, sketching battalion plans in various positions before scribbling them out. The wax of the candle was burning down and the light was low, but he couldn’t get up to change the candle. He was close, he knew it.

“Still up here?”

Roman’s eyes broke contact with the parchment as Patton poked his head around the door. Walking over to Roman, the king rested his head on Roman’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around the knight’s ribs.  “You know, you’ll never find them if you don’t sleep.” Patton muttered into Roman’s hair. Roman hummed distractedly, running his eyes over the map for any opportunity he might have missed. Patton frowned and tugged on Roman’s arm.

“Hey, come on. Come to bed, we miss you.”

Roman sighed and leaned back, tilting his face towards Patton’s. He closed his eyes and realized that they were heavy. He hadn’t realized, but they were. He was so tired,  but he had to keep planning. He couldn’t let the merchants slip through his fingers again. Patton sighed and placed his lips near the crook of Roman’s neck.

Roman had been avidly pursuing ‘The Merchants’, as they had been dubbed, ever since Virgil’s return a month ago. He stayed up night and day, researching their patterns and where they popped up and disappeared. Trying to find their hideouts. Locate them and shut them down so Virgil could stop looking fearfully over his shoulder. So that the city streets weren’t crawling with illegal markets and he could take Dee, Virgil and Remy to the center square without them huddling together like frightened sheep, afraid that one of them might be snatched from the sidelines if they strayed too far.

“I have to find them Pat.” He whispered. Quiet and raw, the hard night’s labor taking it’s toll. “They can’t get away with what they did… They can’t take him again. And they will, you know they will, if they can.”

Patton’s mouth set into a firm line and he ran a hand through Roman’s hair.

“I know, but you need to come to bed now, otherwise you might miss something.”

Roman looks up at Patton with eyes so sad the king feels the weight of them on his shoulders. Patton pulls again on Roman’s arm and tugs him out of the chair.

“Come on, the maps aren’t going anywhere.”

“But the merchants might be, that’s the problem.”

Patton was about to respond, but was cut off by the sound of wingbeats outside the window. The two royals hurried to the window just in time to see a reptilian silhouette streak across the moonlit sky.

* * *

 

Dee startled awake when Patton and Roman burst into the tower in a panic. Logan lagged behind, rubbing his eyes with hair sticking up in all directions. Remy fell from his bed in surprise at the loud noise and he signed, disoriented.

‘What’s going on?’

Roman didn’t answer because he wasn’t looking at Remy. He stormed across the room and whipped the blankets off Virgil’s bed. Dee cocked his head to get a look at what had him so concerned as Roman growled and turned away, revealing an empty bed.

Okay, so Virgil was gone. That was fine. He hadn’t been kidding when he said that Virgil went walkabout sometimes. Virgil liked the stars and to climb to the roof and stare at the sky was a favorite nighttime activity. Dee resolutely ignored the worry that began to gnaw in his gut. In recent days he and Remy had taken to not leaving Virgil alone, but it was just because they were paranoid. Virgil could still take care of himself, especially now that he could turn back into a dragon. Dee absentmindedly played with the blanket under his fingers, fidgeting restlessly. Virgil would be fine. Virgil _was_ fine. Nothing was wrong-

“Roman, what on earth have you woken us all up for?”

Logan asked sleepily, staring uncomprehendingly at the empty bed. Roman had run to the window and was scanning the horizon for some unknown thing.

“Something’s wrong.”

* * *

 

Virgil wasn’t quite sure why he was doing this. He knew that it was probably a bad idea, and yet he couldn’t bear to not. He had to at least check. As he slowed his decent and began to lower into the mountain ranges, he wondered if he had just signed his death warrant. He hadn’t told anyone he was going, he was too far away for anyone to help… Oh gods, this was an awful, awful, stupid idea.

He landed in the mouth of the cave the mage had shown him, peering into the darkness. His wings were tense and ready to lift him away from danger were it a trap. His tail was lashing and his magic was antsy, a physical display of his nerves. He shifted slightly from foot to foot, waiting for the mage to emerge and meet him with the promised treasure.

It didn’t take long. The mage looked smaller now that Vigil was able to lift his head, but the sight of him still set the witch on edge. The mage smiled under his hood and inclined his head just enough to give Virgil a greeting. Virgil dipped his head in return (as an unreturned greeting was a debt unpaid, a nasty thing to have in the magical community), but not so much that he lost sight of the man. He didn’t trust any of this, and they both knew it.

“Come, what you seek is inside.”

Everything about this screamed ‘trap’, but Virgil couldn’t take this risk. It wasn’t just his life on the line if this guy wasn’t bluffing. He didn’t have a choice, so he ducked his head and entered the cave.

* * *

 

The tower was crawling with guards and mages, none of whom knew what they were looking for. They irritated Remy. Small people doing nothing but crawl all over the problem. Dee was watching them all with undisguised suspicion.

“I see the point of having all these people here, they’re just making things clean.”

Remy privately agreed with his little brother as Roman explained how these were specialists who could help find Virgil.

“We can’t find Virgil on our own, but it will be easier while all of these people are here.”

Staring out at the horizon, Remy wondered what was going on. Roman said he had seen Virgil in his dragon form flying away from the palace. This did unsettle Remy a bit, and he understood looking for clues, but he didn’t understand why he couldn’t just pursue.

“Hey, what’s this?”

One of the guards leaned in and picked up something blue from under the bed. Remy turned to take a look and froze. The scent of magic, faint but apparent, danced across his tongue. He darted forward and took the small bundle of fabric in his hands.

‘It’s a hex bag’

He signed, examining it’s contents.

‘For a dream-walker, it looks like. But I recognize this magic.’

And he did. He remembered the taste of it. It had lingered on Virgil’s skin for weeks after they got him out of that cave.

* * *

 

“The plan was to have you transferred after the spell was completed, then you would supposedly escape. You would never arrive and I would disappear.” The mage said as they walked through the bowls of the cave. Virgil tried to ignore the similarities between this place and the cavern that he had been trapped in.

“Yeah? Then why the harvesting? Why any of that other stuff?”

“Projects like this require funding, every penny of my cut went towards the reason you’re here.”

“Did they know about what you were doing?”

“Of course not, my presence there was all an act, I needed to get close enough to get what I needed.”

They reached an open portion of the room and the mage gestured Virgil forwards. Virgil hesitated for a second, but then saw the glowing alter in the center of the room. It looked like it had at some point had a fire burning on it, and in the remaining embers rested some sort of ebony rock, slightly jagged and accented with purple. His eyes widened and he ducked inside, passing a wall of heat and running to the glowing nest of embers. Uncaring of the heat, he plunged his hands in and brought out the shape, checking it over meticulously, looking for any signs of damage or forgery. It was as large as his torso, perhaps larger, and heavy, although Virgil’s strength allowed him to carry it as if it weren’t.

He couldn’t find any, and sat back, staring at the rock like it was made of glass, or perhaps diamond.

“Do you now see why I went so far?”

Virgil jumped at the sudden voice behind him. The mage was shielded by a heat-resistance spell that Virgil didn’t need. Virgil hugged the treasure closer to his chest like the mage would try to take it, a growl reverberating in his throat. The mage put up his hands to show that he meant no harm.

“Relax, I will not touch it. It is yours to care for now, provided you will stay.”

“Stay?”

“Of course. You cannot move it now, surely you know this. It requires consistent levels of magical exposure and heat.”

Vigil nodded absently. That made sense, but he had wanted to take it back to the castle… Back to his family… He shook his head to clear it, what was he thinking?

“You _bled me_ to make a profit, why the heck am I listening to you?”

“Because you _know_ that we have the same interests. I am offering you the chance to rekindle the flame that should never have gone out. Without this egg, dragon-kind is doomed. You do not have to like my methods to know that turning away now is the worst possible thing you could do.”

The mage turned away and headed towards the entrance.

“I will not disturb you, the cavern is yours to use as you will. I will fetch anything you need, but you must remain. It needs a caretaker, but I am at your beck and call.”

“But I-“

“I will carry a message to your family regarding where you are, but you must stay. I cannot keep it alive alone, it requires draconic magics to form properly. Vigilance, I am begging you; as someone who is incredibly interested in restoring the dragon population, I need your help.”

The use of his real name made his tail tingle, but it allowed him to see that the words were genuine. Virgil nodded, reluctant but accepting, transforming and gathering coals and embers around him, making a nest. He breathed fire over them and tucked his new treasure under his forearms. He lay his head down and curled around it, keeping it safe.

Dragon eggs were surprisingly fragile.

“For the record, I still do not like you.”

“I do not blame you in the slightest, but we have a common goal. That will have to be enough.”

* * *

 

Since Virgil had been taken, merchant sightings had all but stopped, and business had ended. Something had clearly changed, and it worried Remy down to his bones. He had been working with Logan, trying to track the magical signature on the bag. They had been working only a few hours, so it was strange when he suddenly felt a wave of sleepiness wash over him. He shook his head, trying to dispel it, but it persisted. He had to find out who this person was. He hadn’t been to concerned before; but now, knowing that there was some connection between his disappearance and the people who had taken Virgil, he was desperate to locate his younger brother and make sure he came home safe. Logan seemed to notice his sudden fatigue and told him to sit down. He shook his head and tried to banish it, but it persisted.

 “There is no point in continuing when you’re tired, take fifteen minutes and we will continue when you are rested.”

‘But-‘

“I have conducted searching magic while tired before, it rarely goes well. Besides, Virgil wouldn’t be impressed if I let you run yourself into the ground for his sake.”

Remy wanted to growl at the prince for treating him like a child, but couldn’t quite manage it. Instead he felt a swell of affection. His brother sure knew how to pick ‘em.

‘Okay, fifteen minutes, then you wake me. Okay?’

“Agreed.”

And then Remy gave in to sleep.

* * *

 

_Remy awoke in the familiarly warped realm of the dreamscape, the world slowed and muted. Usually it was a peaceful place, but now it put him on edge._

_“Remedio.”_

_Remy tensed at the use of his full name and spun to see a man in a cloak. Mage’s robes to be precise. An old cut too, with an obscuring hood and large, flared sleeves. Probably a follower of the third goddess. Powerful, old magic._

_He acknowledged the greeting with a jolt of psychic energy and a nod. Unusually respectful for him, but that was reasonable for a mage of this caliber. The magic of his visitor swirled around him, dancing with his own in unearthly movements unknown to the mortal eye. Underneath it was the scent of smoke, ozone, and chaos. Something that had become uncomfortably familiar in recent weeks. This was the dream walker that had touched Virgil._

_With this realization came a surge of something violent and brotherly that wanted to lunge forward and attack, but Remy was no hothead. Lunging in without a plan was only a good idea when it would work, and in the face of magics this ancient, chances were not to be taken._

_Someone that Remy had known a long time ago had told him, ‘when faced with an enemy that you can’t fight, at the very least get some answers’. That someone had gone on to become queen of the water nymphs of Loch and won a five decade war, so clearly her mindset had helped her somewhat. The mage didn’t seem aggressive yet, so maybe it was worth a go._

_‘You know my name.’_

_“I know all names, the goddess gave me the gift of knowledge upon my eighth ascension.”_

_Remy was tempted to roll his eyes. What a frustrating gift to give a follower. Fifth generation gods had been such drama queens._

_‘What is your business with my brother?’_

_His fingers were practically blurring in the dreamscape. Time meant nothing here, movement was relative, and intention as clear as milk, so he didn’t know how much the mage understood, but he gave no sign of confusion either way._

_“Vigilance is not harmed, and will not be. He came of his own will, and it is by only that which he will leave.”_

_That was a phrase to be dissected later, there was a lot to unpack there._

_‘He came to you? Why should I believe that?’_

_The mage flicked a hand and a scene appeared before him. Remy could see Virgil curled up in a room surrounded with fire. In dragon form, Virgil had a large, round object cradled carefully in his arms, guarding it jealously. The object had scale like protrusions, predominantly black, but with some purple and gold flecks. He had only seen something like this twice, both so long ago he barely remembered._

_‘Is that-‘_

_“While those idiots from the markets took blood and scale, I harvested something of my own, and used the power of the goddess to give dragon kind another chance. I took small clippings of genetic material and magical samples to engineer a miracle. ”_

_Remy looked away from the image of his brother to observe the mage._

_“I am older than I appear, and the dragons’ fates have weighed on my mind for longer than I care to admit. Now, centuries of research have come to fruition and I have an egg, but an egg needs a parent.”_

_Suddenly, a lot of things were making sense. Dangle this sort of bait in front of Virgil, and cautious or not, he would leap for it every time. If this was a bluff, it was a damn good one._

_If it was real…_

_“That is all I can tell you. I cannot give away our location and risk you interrupting the process. Dragons cannot leave their eggs for anything, you would provide an undue distraction.”_

_Remy felt himself waking up and panicked._

_‘Wait, that can’t be it, at least let me talk to him-’_

_The dreamscape fell away._

* * *

 

Virgil was vaguely aware that his confidence with the egg was out of character, but something inside of him just knew what to do. Maybe it was some kind of inbuilt instinct, maybe it was just that he had mothered Remy and Dee for so long that nothing was different, he didn’t know. He scraped another layer of hot coals over the egg’s surface. The heat on the egg’s surface was comforting and magic rich.

Time passed like melting ice. Slow but consistent, everything revolving around the egg. He wondered what would happen once it hatched. Where would he raise the hatchling? Dragons had raised their young in large kindergarten gardens in the mountains, did any still stand? Would it be worth it seeking survivors over the horizon line, or should he raise it here? Would he screw it up? This was dragon kind’s last chance and he knew nothing about children-

The coals under his feet sizzled as his skin grew hotter with worry. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself by letting out a musical growl. High and unearthly to resonate with the egg’s own energy. Something to focus on. Everything would be okay, he reminded himself. He wouldn’t be alone. He would have Remy and Dee, not to mention the royals, for as long as they would live as humans. The inevitability of their to-be absence in his life weighed heavy on his heart, but it was exactly that, inevitable. It was one of the key reasons he hadn’t acted on some… feelings he may have had.

Contrary to what Remy might say, Virgil wasn’t 100% hopeless when it came to attraction. He was two thousand years old for god’s sake, he knew what the lightness that came with Logan’s eyes lighting up (or Patton’s smile, or Roman’s exuberant voice) meant. He knew that he would do anything to make those three smile at him and touch him familiarly. But they were human, and he was not. He had lived through their lifespan twentyfold, it was _not_ meant to be.

It couldn’t be.

No matter how much he wanted it.

He snapped out of his reverie when there was a commotion at the front of the cave. The mage walked in, bringing the scent of his magic with him. Virgil growled once, just to get his point across and remind the mage that Virgil wouldn’t hesitate to bite if he forgot his place. Virgil had not forgiven what he did. The mage seemed to get the message though, and stayed a respectful distance from Virgil and the egg.

“Your family wishes to speak with you. They do not believe that you are here by choice.”

“They’re here?”

The mage shook his head.

“I contacted them via dream walking a week ago. They have not ceased in their attempts to contact me again since that time. Last night I opened the connection, they are… worried about him.”

Virgil wanted to slap himself. Of course they were. He had been so caught up in the egg that he hadn’t really thought about what was happening outside of this warm space he was in.

“I want to talk to them.”

The mage didn’t twitch, but if Virgil didn’t know better he would say the man seemed awkward.

“Good, because they seem to have arrived.”

* * *

Roman had started out on this venture ready to kick some butt and regain their dragon witch, only to be greeted by a single man who didn’t seem interested in fighting them. Remy and Dee had acted weird when they had greeted him, but other than that nothing seemed amiss.

“So, what exactly is the story here?” Roman asked Dee as the trio followed the mage into the bowels of the cave. “And how do we know that this guy isn’t just leading us into a trap?”

He would ask Remy, but he signed fast and if Roman was being honest, he trusted Dee more. He knew that Remy was totally trustworthy, but his easygoing craziness sort off took Roman off guard. Dee spoke a language Roman understood, and the curse wasn’t so hard to decipher once you knew what to listen for.

“Virgil definitely isn’t here. His scent is nowhere. Apparently he hasn’t given Virgil something important. Remy was precise on details.”

The mage disappeared into a different area, emerging minutes later and beckoning them in.

“You will need to cast heat resistance spells to enter, I have cast a shield to conceal the temperature, but it will not protect you once you are within it.”

Remy nodded and knelt to do something to Dee before turning to roman. He made a series of gestures with his hands before poking Roman’s forehead. From the point of contact, a cooling sensation trickled down his body. He blinked at the new feeling. It wasn’t unpleasant, just unusual.

“This is new…”

Remy smiled and grabbed his wrist, leading him and Dee into the cavern. As promised, Virgil was inside, laying on a pile of flaming logs. Pools of lava welled in cracks in the floor and the whole place was bathed in red hot light. Roman was sure that if it weren’t for the spell he would be fried right now, as it was he didn’t feel a thing, magic was amazing.

The dragon looked up at them and a loud purring filled the cave.

Dee and Remy rushed forward, placing their hands on Virgil and reassuring themselves that he was there and whole and safe. It was like a burden had been lifted from their shoulders, relief and happiness lighting up their faces like sun after a long winter. Roman too, found himself feeling inexplicably lighter. He hadn’t realized how badly Virgil’s disappearance had affected them until this moment. Seeing him was like a breath of fresh air.

From the looks of the jerky gestures Remy was making and the stifled giggling of Dee, Remy was raking Virgil across the coals for up and vanishing on them. The chimera was signing too fast for Roman to keep up, but he caught ‘stupid’ and ‘crazy’ and ‘trouble’, which was enough for him to get the gist. The dragon’s head was dipped, almost bashfully, but the eyes were fond.

Roman smiled. Virgil didn’t seem to be in trouble, and despite everything he seemed to be happy with this turn of events, whatever they may be.

It looked like it would be okay.

* * *

 

While Remy had been admonishing Virgil, Dee had wriggled up to his brother and was now examining something that Virgil was curled around. The snake-child’s eyes widened and he pointed excitedly. Roman took a few steps closer and saw a cone like object that was purple and black, glinting in the low light. Virgil let out a happy croon and unfurled a bit so that Dee could see.

Dee didn’t know exactly what it was, but he could guess. The egg was nearly the size of him and it’s coloring was a dead giveaway.

“It’s not yours!”

Virgil let out the draconic version of a chuckle and dipped his head in a nod. Dee beamed and crept closer in childlike enthusiasm. Was this why Virgil had left? Where had it come from? Was there another dragon around here somewhere? Or was this a magic thing? The egg was pulsing magic that was young and smelled a little like Virgil’s.

‘Are you going to stay here until it hatches?’

Remy asked. Dee could see why. The egg being real changed everything. They had doubted, but here it was, clear as day. This was something that Virgil had been looking forward to for… as long as Dee had known him. It was a crazy concept that he had finally found it, and ow they needed to incorporate it into their lives. He, Roman and Remy anxiously awaited Virgil’s response, which was a sad nod.

Dee’s heart plummeted a bit, his previous excitement fading.

Virgil’s eyes were sad as he admitted it, but it didn’t look as if he was going to change his mind. The thought of leaving this comforting bubble to go back to the palace, which was fine but not home, was unappealing.

Dee looked over to Remy and could see that he was thinking the same. Dee gave Roman a fleeting glance before looking back at Virgil.

“I want to go.”

Remy caught his eye and Dee determinedly adjusted his stance so he was more secure. Neither of them were under any illusions that Remy couldn’t move him if he tried, but it was the principle that would win Remy over, and they both knew it. If Dee wanted to stay, and Virgil was staying, they would stay.

* * *

 

Remy gave Roman a slightly helpless shrug and walked over to join his siblings. Roman smiled, although it was a little sad, and walked over to Virgil, placing a hand on the scaly flank. “I’ll tell Patton and Logan what’s going on.” he promised. Virgil shot him a grateful look and nudged him closer to the egg with his nose. Purposeful glares at the egg told roman Virgil wanted him to touch it.

Hesitating only slightly, Roman lay a hand on the rough surface of the shell. A strange, electric feeling ran up his arm and into his chest. It felt warm and intense.

“That was…”

There were no words for it.

Virgil crooned at him warmly and blinked at him, long and slow like an affectionate cat.

After a round of goodbyes on all parts, Roman descended the mountain alone and headed back to the palace. His husbands would be upset, but Remy and Dee had promised to visit, and hopefully the egg would hatch sometime soon and Virgil could come back, baby in tow. The knight’s heart contracted with something warm and loving, much like the feeling he had felt when he had touched the egg. A connection had been formed there, even if the human didn’t know it yet.

* * *

 

Time passed quicker for Virgil now that Remy and Dee where there. The mage left them alone and it was so good to have someone he loved and trusted by his side during the nesting period. He was certain that the egg was happier too, there was a new sheen on it that had been absent before. The three of them passed the time as they had before the curse. Before Virgil had met the royal trio and his life had changed. Hell, change the setting to their little cabin in the woods and nothing at all had changed.

It was blissful.

Not quite quiet, not place with Dee and Remy in it was quiet, but certainly more relaxed than the hustle and bustle of the castle.

The castle… Virgil couldn’t say he missed it. That lifestyle just wasn’t for him, and yet something still weighed heavy on him. It was the absence of the royals in his life. He had grown used to them. Their human notions and their ways of caring for him. Slightly foreign, yet so sweet. He missed them, more so now than ever now that he had his brothers back and wasn’t caught up in that strange wash of nostalgia that came with homesickness. He felt their absences more abruptly now.

Evan so, Virgil looked past it. He would see them soon enough, and in the meantime, he had a little one to take care of. The egg was changing, slowly but surely. It was heavier now, Virgil was sure of it, and warmer. The third stage was approaching. The dragon in him purred with pride at what he had accomplished. Hatching a dragon egg was no mean feat. Remy was reading nearby as Dee slept near a lava pool.

He missed his humans, he did, but for now he was content.

* * *

 

It had been more or less seven months since Remy and Dee had moved into the cave to be with Virgil and nothing had really changed in that time. The mage had stopped coming at some point, weekly visits turning to monthly, before stopping altogether. Virgil had started sleeping more and more as time went on, but that was about it. Remy explained that the egg was leeching off Virgil’s life energy so he had to sleep to keep it up. That sounded vaguely concerning, but Dee wasn’t too worried. Remy had told him that this was perfectly normal for dragons, and they could donate some energy if it looked like Virgil was in trouble.

Too fill the time, Remy had been teaching him magic. Real, raw nature magic. The kind that couldn’t be taught near the palace because human presence tended to mess it up. Dee had finally cracked summoning fire consistently. The natural energy in the cave made it so much easier, so he could work on his form rather than forcing it. He had also learned to summon the metal in the earth around him and shape it into blades, which was grand fun. He had managed to convince Remy to spar with him and had won. Sort of.

In general, it was… nice.

When they had all lived alone, he had been restless, constantly seeking movement, but after living in the palace for a while, it was nice to get away to the natural energies that sang him to sleep like a lullaby. That night he had fallen asleep in mere minutes, exhausted by his lessons. He planned to sleep until he woke up naturally, but instead Dee woke to an odd sound.

His brothers were snoring, but that wasn’t it. It must be nighttime because both of them were out cold. Dee had slept during the day, so he was awake now to hear the strange tapping that echoed the cave walls.

Following the sound, he found himself staring down the muzzle of his draconic brother. The tapping was definitely coming from over here…

 Listening carefully, he looked down at the egg between the crook of Virgil’s elbow and his chest.

He frowned and placed his hands against it. It was the familiar heavy heat, perhaps hotter after feeding off Virgil after all this time. He waited for a moment and when the tapping occurred again. He could feel the shell being impacted. His eyes widened and he jumped back. The tapping continued, getting stronger and louder. He felt something hot and amazing bubbling up in his chest and overflowing.

Springing to his feet, he jumped onto Virgil’s snout and shoved his head. He screeched to wake them up, excitement amplifying his voice.

“Go to sleep! Don’t wake up right now!”

Virgil blinked blearily and Remy shot up in surprise. Dee pointed at the egg, hopping slightly in place. All eyes travelled to the egg as a crack appeared in it. Both his older brothers started moving as a pair of spikes struck through the crack and a plume of smoke and sparks spilled out of the egg.

Virgil seemed to know what to do, clearing the pieces of shell with his tail and blowing the smoke away. This continued until the hole in the shell was large enough for a small form to tumble out. From there, Virgil swiped the eggshell away and turned to his new brood. He nudged it with his snout and spat out a small stream of fire. It wasn’t aggressive or hot, just enough to warm and dry the new arrival. Dee watched in fascination, stepping back to sit by Remy and watch.

Virgil began licking down the hatchling and breathing warm flames on it. It cracked one eye open and squeaked. The baby dragon was the size of a large dog, but still only about the size of Virgil’s hand in his dragon form. It was plain black, eyes and scale the colour of the blackest night. At Virgil’s contact, the baby crooned and purred, curling it’s stubby tail and licking Virgil’s snout.

Something in Dee melted, like this baby dragon had filled a hole in him that he didn’t even know was there.

“They’re…”

There were no words.

Virgil was looking down on his hatchling with such warmth, such love, maybe even a little bit of surprise. Dee too, was surprised, at how perfect the little dragon was.

Remy and Dee slowly got closer to the dragons, and Virgil unfurled to let them into the circle that Virgil formed.

* * *

 

Remy had seen an Opening only once, and never had the honor of being involved.

It was an ancient draconic ritual involving introducing a dragon hatchling to it’s flock. Only close, immediate family. Bonds formed with family and hatchling in an Opening ritual could never be broken. The oldest known form of blood bond.

Dee hesitated, not knowing what was going on, but Remy gently nudged him forward. He would explain later, but this moment was crucial.

Remy led Dee in and sat down, indicating for Dee to do the same. Virgil leaned his head over and put it in line with Remy’s head. A warm breath of air ruffled his hair and his magic tingled, reacting to the power in it. Virgil ten bumped his head against Remy’s, ever so gently. He did the same with Dee. The parent greeting each member.

Virgil then pressed his snout against the hatchling’s forehead. Magic began to surge through the area like a great wind. Remy could see Dee’s eyes go wide with a childlike wonder. He could understand why. The magic stirring in the area was beginning to shift into something ancient and powerful. It made Remy’s bones ring and his blood surge in his veins. Dee will have never felt anything like this before.

The magic whispered to him what to do, and he could suddenly see why Virgil seemed so certain in his movements. Why he had been so certain during all of this. The magic sang stories older than him in his ears and told him of generations past.

Reaching out, he pressed his hand to the same point on the hatchling’s head and started channeling his own magic, contributing to the pool that is starting to form. The familiar mellowness of Virgil’s magic, as well as something innocent and new. The hatchling’s magic, mighty though small. Remy feels a smaller hand touch his and feels another magic enter the pool. It’s light and green and Dee. He smiles and lets his magic flow.

The four magics pooling together grow and grow, until the hatchling’s skin grows hot. Remy, Dee and Virgil pull away to see the black scales shift and bloom into color. Virgil’s purple magic has manifested into bright purple scales, fading to Remy’s black highlights, like stripes over the hatchling’s skin. Dee’s golden yellow has also appeared, giving the hatchling’s eyes a golden sheen, as well as a golden series of spots gathering around it’s eyes and down it’s neck to it’s legs and spine.

The air is filled with music, melting into the roar of the old magic. An unearthly sound that awakens old memories in Remy. Dragon song.

The hatchling seems bewildered by it’s new coloring, twisting in every direction to get a good look. Dee laughs as the baby trips over their own tail and Remy smiles.

Children, in their little ragtag group, who would have thought?

A low hiss escaped Virgil, a single proclamation in the old tongue.

_“I name you, my brood, Zorotov. Bringer of the new age and hope for the future.”_

* * *

 

They tried to find the mage after the hatching. They neither liked nor trusted him, but he had brought Zorotov into their lives, and he deserved thanks for that much. But he wasn’t there. His area of the cave was bare, as if he had never been there at all. Remy had simply rolled his eyes, shrugged, and said ‘third-goddess mages, what can you do?’

* * *

 

“Zoro! Get down from there, you can’t fly yet!”

Zorotov looked down on Virgil from the rocky spire she had managed to climb with a level look. Virgil was tempted to hide his head. Only seven weeks old and already such a troublemaker. Dragons matured slowly, but grew fast and she was already as strong and lithe as an adolescent, and just as mischevious. Not only that, but Remy and Dee were bad influences.

Bunching up her hind legs, she wriggled on her haunches like a kitten and sprang away from the wall. Virgil cried out and extended his magic, catching her midair. She purred as his magic surrounded him and darted around his feet like an excited puppy.

_“Come on, we’re all ready to go.”_

He clicked in dragon-speak. Zorotov clicked happily and followed him as he met his brothers at the cave mouth. She bounded to meet them and Remy rubbed her head affectionately. Dee playfully jerked to the left and right, initiating a game of chase that excited Zoro all over again. Dee laughed and darted away, letting Zoro give chase. Virgil watched them with an exasperated smile.

‘It doesn’t get any easier, they only get bigger.’

Remy warned him. Virgil grinned and transformed. Now that Zoro was old enough to leave her nesting grounds, they were heading down the mountains. They had promised to visit the royals after the egg hatched, and Virgil missed them. He could still clearly remember Patton’s smile and Roman’s voice and Logan’s eyes. The memories made him ache for the real thing. It was a two day flight, but they would probably stop on the way because Dee and Zoro weren’t really equipped for night flights, besides, flying for two days was tiring with passengers.

Virgil transformed and crouched, allowing Remy passage onto his back. Remy sent out a shower of sparks to pull Zoro and Dee away from their game, and then they were off, Virgil taking off from the mouth of the cave and speeding over the snowy mountain peaks that had been their home for over half a year now.

* * *

 

Azzie was tending to the topmost branches of her tree when she felt it. A great power spread over the land as something touched down. She could hear wingbeats and great footsteps, before things became quiet. It was not in a dryad’s nature to be curious, they were a timid lot, but Azzie was an oak sprite. Strong, and bolder than was usual, so she danced through the trees to see what was going on.

When she arrived in the clearing that the power had come from, she saw an incredible sight. A dragon. Not only that, but… A small shape clambered down from the dragon’s shoulder. A dragon with young!

Peering out further from her hiding place, she wondered if she dared get closer. She hadn’t seen a dragon for centuries. The last one had come when she was barely but a sapling, and there had been none others since. There had been rumors of extinction that had troubled her for many summers, but here was proof! Proof that Dragons not only still lived, but still bred! There was hope yet for another magical era.

Other figures emerged from the trees carrying berries and sticks that they arranged into a fire pit. (Dead sticks, she noted with approval. Not one of those degenerates that went around snapping limbs off trees.) The figures were opposite, short and tall. The short one soon made off to wrestle with the baby dragon, mocking swordplay with a blade summoned from the earth. The baby dragon seemed unconcerned and snapped playfully in response.

The other… Could it be?

She laughed and stood, knowing she had nothing to fear from these people if with them came…

“Remy!”

* * *

 

Remy spun at the sound of his name being called, and broke into a smile. He waved back to the enthusiastic waves he was getting. The dryad ran towards him and he caught her in a hug, twirling her before setting her down. The sprite giggled, brushing her green hair into something resembling order after her makeshift roller coaster ride. Olive skin flushed slightly green with laughter.

“Remy, you scoundrel, where have you been all these years?”

Remy caught her with that same charming grin he had when they first met, and went to sign. He got halfway through a response before realizing that she probably wouldn’t understand. He froze for a moment before looking to her. The smirk had slightly diminished, and her grin shrank.

Virgil took that as his cue to transform back into a human and step in.

“It’s kind of a long story."

* * *

 

“Okay, so that’s everything?”

“The gist of it, yeah.”

Azzie set her mouth in a firm line. Over the course of the story, Remy had watched her carefully, and she had noticed. The poor sap was worried she would judge him, she thought. She rolled her eyes. Silly boy. Even if they hadn’t worked out as bedmates, she had been his friend for centuries. One little thing wouldn’t change that.

She turned to face him, his eyes caught the firelight and made him look almost haunted. She rolled her eyes and put her hands out in front of her like she had seen him do when he had talked to the dragon (Virgil apparently) with his hands.

“How do I say you’re an idiot?”

She asked him with false sternness.

Remy blinked at her, golden eyes shifting to something warmer than the worry they had been showing before. He shifted his hands slowly and deliberately. She watched them, miming as he went.

“Well then…”

She carefully repeated the actions back at him before hugging him. Remy stiffened a little before his hands snaked around her back and squeezed her tightly.

“This doesn’t change anything.” She assured him, laying her head on his shoulder. “You’re still the same Remy.”

She didn’t need to see his face to know that he was smiling like the sap he pretended he wasn’t. She was just awesome like that.

* * *

 

Dee returned to see Virgil playing translator for a sprite of some kind around a fire. He smiled at a pranking opportunity, they were all so distracted...

Dee transformed and slithered towards the group. Zoro was watching with curiosity and he flicked his tongue out at her. She returned the favor with her own tongue and stalked along side him, two reptiles silently moving through the night. Once they were close enough with his brothers’ backs to them, he drew up to his full height and let out a quiet hiss. The three of them turned in comical unison and Dee struck, hissing as loud as he could and darting forward.

Virgil and Remy fell backwards in surprise and the sprite let out a loud squeak before bursting into laughter. Her laughter was infectious and soon Dee, back in human form, joinder her on the grass in stitches. Virgil looked down on them in disapproval as Remy just laughed along with them.

Once he finally had his breath back, he sat up and inched closer to the fire as the sprite composed herself.

“You got us pretty good kid.”, she chuckled. “I didn’t even hear you coming.”

He lit up at the praise as Zoro bounded closer, excited by all the commotion and the fire. She darted in and out of it like a colourful fish through coral.

“You’re pretty uncool too.”

She wasn’t offended but Dee’s way of speaking, which was an added bonus.

After a few more minutes of Virgil translating Remy so the sprite (who was named Azzie apparently) and he could catch up, she got up and stretched.

“I could do with some exercise. I saw you playing earlier,” She addressed Dee, flicking her hand. A log stick appeared in her hand which morphed into a sword that despite being made of wood, looked like it packed a punch. “Want to go a few rounds?”

* * *

 

Remy assured Virgil that he would watch over the two sparring competitors while he sang Zorotov to sleep. He was very particular about her getting enough sleep, especially with so much travelling to do tomorrow, but he also wanted to make sure no one got hurt during the fight.

It was interesting to watch. Dee was good before he had started practicing with Roman, and only gotten better afterwards. That being said, Azzie was first battalion of her forest’s squad for a reason.

They had three matches, the first of which Azzie won, the second of which Dee did. The third, it was a draw, as a clever flick of Dee’s wrist vs Azzie’s supernatural strength resulted in both of them loosing their blades. Too exhausted to continue, the two of them declared it a tie and flopped to the ground. Dee only paused to take off his binder at Remy’s insistence before curling up next to the fire and falling asleep in mere moments.

She caught Remy staring with affection in his eyes and smiled to herself. It was nice to see Remy open with people. It was something he struggled with back in the day.

“Hey Remy?”

He turned to her.

“Have I told you about what happened when a group of knights came to cut down the mother tree?”

He shook his head and she grinned.

“Okay, so they come barging in here and Jena told the battalion, so we gathered a ton of sap…”

* * *

 

The next morning when the four of them were set to leave, Azzie hugged Remy again.

“You come visit, you hear me? None of this radio silence business.”

Remy smiled at her and saluted, which was answer enough for her. Zoro clambered up to Virgil’s back and he got ready to fly. Remy flashed her a charming smile and kissed her on the hand like the day they met. She rolled her eyes.

“Goof. Now go on, get outta here.”

* * *

 

Logan spotted the shape above the turrets of the castle before anyone else and hurried outside. He called his husbands from the throne room as he went, dashing outside to the courtyard so he would see the witches when they arrived. Sure enough, not ten minutes later, a piercing shriek gave warning to the townspeople to clear the area so Virgil could land.

By this point, Roman and Patton had joined him and flung themselves forward to greet them. It had been almost a year since they had last seen the witches and they couldn’t be happier. Roman clasped Dee’s hand in a warrior’s embrace as Logan enthusiastically greeted his study buddy in Remy Patton hugged them both, but then let out an enthusiastic squeal at the newest arrival.

The baby dragon stumbled over it’s own feet in enthusiastic greeting. Clearly their friendly greetings to Remy and Dee had been enough to prove they weren’t threats, as Zoro pounced on Patton and began licking his face, little tail wagging furiously. Patton seemed very happy petting the hatchling and calling her a beautiful girl, which made her preen and even more excited.

And then Virgil changed back and found himself tackled in a group hug as Logan and Roman finally got to say hello after a near year of separation. He hugged them back, taking in their scents and feelings. Patton managed to escape Zoro after a few moments and join in on the hug. The four of them giggled, high on emotions, and Virgil couldn’t have been happier.

His hatchling was here and safe, his family was surrounding him, and he was back with his humans. Life would undowubtably hold more challenges in the future, but for now?

Life was good.


End file.
